Civil War Soldier

Charcoal sketch of a weathered Civil War Soldier. The cold, lifeless stare shows he has witnessed sites no man should ever see. Yet he survived, I think this portrait show the strength of a soldier yet we never forget what sacrifices they have made for us.

Dotti's Art...as is

“Hello, I am an artist and my media is charcoal and pencil” Simple words to most, but a milestone for me. This was the first sentence in a letter I was writing to a company I hoped would help me make prints of my original artwork. Although I’ve always dreamed of ‘being and artist’, I never really felt it would ever be anything but a dream. I’ve always loved to draw, and, although I stopped drawing for 30 years, once I started again, it got better, I got better, then others started to notice. But it wasn’t until I wrote those words “I am an artist” that I finally realized that yes, my dream is coming true. Seeing it in writing made it real.I started drawing as a child. I had primitive talent, but it wasn’t my passion. Once married, we started a family, I changed careers twice, and there was little time for anything like sketching. Then, as the marriage died, children grew and moved on, and my career stabilized, something made me pick up a pencil again. And so my new career began. I probably always had the talent, but now I had the passion. Neither is worth anything without the other.Since then, I have tried many techniques, different styles and media. I still enjoy trying new things, drawing new subjects. Although I am not young, my art is. It is growing, maturing, and I am loving every minute of it. I am pretty much self-taught, although I did take a weekly lesson for 4 months with an amazing artist, Edwina Caci. She pulled my talent out of me on to the paper. She inspired me, coached me, and supported me. She taught me how to stand back and look at my work. She opened a new world for me, for which I will be eternally grateful.So, now I am a ‘semi-retired’ Emergency/Trauma nurse. My new career is as an artist, my new lifestyle is one of calmness, beauty, love, and creativity. I hope you enjoy my art. If, when you look at my creations, they bring a smile to your face, then I feel I have fulfilled my dream. To create beautiful art that brings pleasure and happiness to all who view it. If you are interested in purchasing the original copy of any of my sketches, contact me and we can discuss price and shipping.